FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE 2006 Films and Filmmakers to be Part of MacNeil Lehrer Productions' Upcoming Project Generation Next

FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE 2006 Films and Filmmakers to be Part of MacNeil Lehrer Productions' Upcoming Project Generation Next

LOS ANGELES, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE has aligned with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to provide content for the upcoming project "Generation Next." Select "issue films" by finalists and semi-finalists from the 2006 FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE national competition will be platformed as part of the new program by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, it was announced today.

Now in its second year, FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE (http://www.filmyourissue.com/ ) is an unprecedented outreach to all U.S. residents age 18 to 26 to create 30-to-60 second "issue films" as a way to engage young people in pressing contemporary issues and add their voices to the public dialogue, via film. More than 300 films were received by 1000-plus registrants during the competition, which ran from January 26 through the May 21, 2006 deadline. Five winners will be announced June 8, 2006. The FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, June 19, 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. In addition to the 5 filmmakers being awarded, the inaugural Walter Cronkite Civic Engagement Leadership Award will be presented to Illinois State University for its student outreach on behalf of both civic engagement and in support of FYI.

"Generation Next," an ambitious project produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and headed by correspondent Judy Woodruff, will similarly take a snapshot of what's on the minds of young Americans, circa 2006. "Generation Next" will use multiple platforms of a PBS documentary, multiple segments on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and online websites. Production begins in June 2006, with airdates planned for late 2006 and early 2007. Primary funding for the "Generation Next" Project is provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

"'Generation Next' and FYI make terrific partners," added Judy Woodruff, executive editor and correspondent of the Generation Next project. "The goal of 'Generation Next' is to give young people a voice, to let those in power hear what what's on their minds. Providing a platform for the FYI videos meshes wonderfully with our efforts."

Films from 2006 FYI - FILM YOUR ISSUE will be selected by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to be presented on its "Generation Next" website, which will be housed on the Online NewsHour at PBS.org, and will be considered for the broadcast platforms.

"We are delighted, honored and excited for FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE to join forces with MacNeil/ Lehrer Productions and its 'Generation Next' project. From our conversations with Judy Woodruff and the producers of 'Generation Next,' we marveled at the serendipity of our shared vision to tap into the minds and hearts of young people in this country, at this critical moment in our history," said HeathCliff Rothman, President and Founder of FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE. "We see our projects as compatible and complementary, since 'Generation Next' will directly interview young people in several American cities, while FYI invited young people to create personal films on their issues."

Launched in Park City, Utah in January 2006 during festival season, FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE culminated with 300+ film submissions, of which 35 were selected for public voting via MSNBC.com and MSN Video between May 25 and June 7, 2006. VIP Judges will also vote on the 35 entries, headed by distinguished Jurist Walter Cronkite, and including George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Senator Barack Obama, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Ellen Burstyn, USA TODAY President Craig Moon, Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairman Tom Rothman, Universal Studios CEO Ron Meyer, Disney Chairman Dick Cook and others. The winning 5 films -- a 50-50 tally of public and VIP Jury votes -- will also air this summer on mtvU, MTV's 24-hour college network, and be available on demand on broadband channel mtvU Uber at mtvU.com.

Some of the world's largest companies, organizations and national and international leaders have come together behind an unprecedented initiative to engage young Americans in the pressing social issues of our time, including Presenting Sponsors MSN Spaces and MSN Video, MSNBC.com, USA TODAY, Entertainment Weekly, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., mtvU, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Independent Pictures, The United Nations, The Humane Society of the United States, ASCAP, Motorola, USC Center on Public Diplomacy, The Maui Film Festival, The Vail Film Festival, and all the major higher education academic organizations.

FYI -- FILM YOUR ISSUE academic partners include the leading organizations of higher education: The Association of American Colleges and Universities, The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (The American Democracy Project), The American Association of University Professors, Campus Compact and Imagining America.

Visit the MSNBC.com site at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12721177 to vote on the 2006 semi-finalists.

Visit http://www.filmyourissue.com/ for more information, and to view the 35 semi-finalists and read about the filmmakers and their inspiration for making their films.

Other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Source: FYI

CONTACT: Scott Busby of The Busby Group for FYI, +1-310-390-3389,
scottb@thebusbygroup.com; or Rob Flynn, Director of Communications of MacNeil-
Lehrer Productions, +1-703-998-2174, rflynn@newshour.org

Web site: http://www.filmyourissue.com/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12721177

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